Samples, Limits, Speed

[Wiley]

Hi
This software seems pretty good, a few questions.

1. Do you have samples of large websites that use your software - I actually found it in the posts somewhere but can't find it again !

2. I don't think this is in the standard version, but is there a way to limit the total number of posts in a topic. For example, limit a topic to the first 1,000 posts and then anyone who tries to post cannot?

Or another way to do it, can the topics be closed off at a certain time without having to manually do it?


3. How does PHP compare to an ASP forum in terms of speed?


4. Lastly, is the complete code provided? I will need to change certain words like "Topic" to "Seminar".

And oh yeah, I want my forum to be exactly like the width of the vbulletin forum ( you know like 3/4 of a page, horizontally centered.) I;ve seen some sites that extend right across the page. Does the original version come like that?

Thank you in advance

[chaselafon]

Hi
This software seems pretty good, a few questions.

1. Do you have samples of large websites that use your software - I actually found it in the posts somewhere but can't find it again !

Try http://www.offtopic.com.

2. I don't think this is in the standard version, but is there a way to limit the total number of posts in a topic. For example, limit a topic to the first 1,000 posts and then anyone who tries to post cannot?

Or another way to do it, can the topics be closed off at a certain time without having to manually do it?

To my knowledge, there is not. But, there is a modification available at vBulletin.org that can do this.


4. Lastly, is the complete code provided? I will need to change certain words like "Topic" to "Seminar".

Yes, this can be done simply through your ACP in the Phrases section.

And oh yeah, I want my forum to be exactly like the width of the vbulletin forum ( you know like 3/4 of a page, horizontally centered.) I;ve seen some sites that extend right across the page. Does the original version come like that?

Yes, you can set a page width via percentile or pixels via the ACP. :)

[Onimua]

1) Do you mean this thread? http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47430

2) No, there's no such function, although I do believe there is a modification or two at vBorg that do this.

3) Personally, I don't know, but I did find a couple of articles on it that may help:
http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php
http://www.ajaxninja.com/?p=150
http://www.phpmac.com/articles.php?view=50

4) Yes, vBulletin is Visible Source, so you can view the entire code. However, phrases (words and such) can be changed through the ACP interface, so you don't have to touch the code at all.

[Wiley]

Thanks alot for those posts - very helpful.


ps wow, that 1 million link, one board has 4.4 million posts and was fast too - that in itself adds credibility to the software.

And I visited the offtopic site, is that design change hard to do? It seems clean and crisp.

[nfn]

This software seems pretty good...

It is ;)

1. Do you have samples of large websites that use your software - I actually found it in the posts somewhere but can't find it again !

Here's a list -> http://rankings.big-boards.com/?filter=vBulletin,all

2. I don't think this is in the standard version, but is there a way to limit the total number of posts in a topic. For example, limit a topic to the first 1,000 posts and then anyone who tries to post cannot?

Or another way to do it, can the topics be closed off at a certain time without having to manually do it?

You have access to hundred of Modifications and Styles at vBulletin.org.
To auto close a thread after a number of post you can use this hack -> http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=148117

[Wiley]

Thanks for the post - I will have to register on that site too.

As for advertising - could I use Google AdSense on the side?

Or more importantly, can I have a different ad to appear on each forum topic? For example, cars forum will have autoshops, restaurant forum will have restaurant ads.

If this possible does Google Adsense have the ability to do this or do I need to use a banner rotator and do it manually (which seems like ALOT of work)!

Thanks again,

[Swollen_Cranium]

Try http://www.offtopic.com.


Yeah .....

[nexialys]

That forum fakes the numbers ....
listed CLAIMED threads = : 3,622,204
quick eyeball count: Less than 300,000
Whatever ......

Actually, you are far from being a good vbulletin admin when you do not know the difference between the public stat and some hidden forums for archives or private usage...

please restrain your envies to trash everything you do not know...

offtopic.com is a good example of well balanced forum with private and secure forums. a load of content is hidden from users like you.

[chaselafon]

Actually, you are far from being a good vbulletin admin when you do not know the difference between the public stat and some hidden forums for archives or private usage...

please restrain your envies to trash everything you do not know...

offtopic.com is a good example of well balanced forum with private and secure forums. a load of content is hidden from users like you.

Agreed. Last time I checked the page numbers only went to something like 15.

[soypod]

Thanks for the post - I will have to register on that site too.

As for advertising - could I use Google AdSense on the side?

Or more importantly, can I have a different ad to appear on each forum topic? For example, cars forum will have autoshops, restaurant forum will have restaurant ads.

If this possible does Google Adsense have the ability to do this or do I need to use a banner rotator and do it manually (which seems like ALOT of work)!

Thanks again,

You can use adsense, and it will spider the page for the appropriate ads for you. Of course, since the spider won't login, it will only work on pages where guests can see the content of the thread.

[Wiley]

ok, thanks- I think I know what you are saying.....

that ads will be generated based on the content of the posts that people make, for example, 12 posts are on cars, so car ads will appear, rather than the topic header.?

I guess this also implies if I have a topic with no posts- no ads will appear?

If this is true, then it is important I lead of the topic as an adminstator so the spider can read what ads to render

If this correct - if you could confirm,

Thanks

[chaselafon]

Yes. :)

I'm in the process of setting up a Family Guy forum, all of the ads are Family Guy related. I believe someone on TAZ was having a discussion about showers in a thread and in that thread only appeared advertisements for shower heads. :D

[soypod]

You can't have a thread with no post. You need at least the first post to have a thread :p

Adsense doesn't spider the whole site like search engines. When a page is loaded with an adsense ad on it, it downloads the page (with guest permissions, so if you don't allow guest visitors in that particular thread, then adsense will find keywords relevant to the error page :p), analyzes the keywords and then displays the ad using javascript (it generates an iframe, I think).

Also, where the ad appears depends on how you customize your style. You can put it where you want it to be. The 3.7 version will have some templates for standard ad locations so you can include ads without actually changing the design.

[Wiley]

ok, I think I got you now.

As long as I configure the board to allow guests to "view" the threads, then Adsense will act just like a guest and download the page and display relevant ads.

Is that correct?

And right, I confused the thread and post thing. me still newbie cause you need one post to start a thread.

Is the latest version 3.7 with the template - is that ready to go?

Thanks

[nexialys]

at vbulletin.org, there is a released hack that let you apply a usergroup for the search engines, specific to them, so you can give READ access to that usergroup, and the search engines will be able to access the forums you want them to access without passing thru the Guest usergroup... this will help you specify what kind of content the search engines will spider.

3.7 will be released when the actual Beta is tested entirely and pre-released as what we call a Release-Candidate (RC1, RC2, etc)... sometimes it is quick, sometimes is takes months... between beta and RC, they can add features... RC are for fixing definitively the version, debugs etc... so it takes time.

[soypod]

You won't need the hack nexialys points out unless you have a large private section, like for instance premium forums for paying customers. On most sites, it won't really be a problem, 'cause it's usual to let all guests read posts, so they can see what the forum is about before they bother to register. If you only have hidden forums for yourself and your staff, it doesn't really matters if the ads there are relevant.

Just to clarify between threads and posts: you make a post are each time you write in a forum. Each post belongs to a thread (you start a thread when you write the first post, so a thread always contains at least one post). And each thread belongs to a forum. vBulletin has different kind of permissions, so you can let a kind of users (a usergroup) see the list of threads in a forum, but not thread content (i.e, not the posts it contains). You need to let guests (the non registered users usergroup) to see the thread content in order for the ads to be relevant to the content ;)

[Wiley]

ok thanks for the info

Do you think I am better off installing 3.6 then waiting for 3.7 RC?

Or should I just install 3.7 and keep updating as releases are available and add the 3.7 mods?

You guys sound like experienced users, I am not so to speak and know very little php coding except html/frontpage.

Thanks

[Kerry-Anne]

We don't recommend running 3.7 beta in a live environment as it is beta software and is unsupported. You should always run the latest stable version of vBulletin in a live environment. This is currently 3.6.8 Patch Level 2.

[Wiley]

Great - thanks alot for the information.